


danger and safety

by yeonheon



Category: VERIVERY (Band)
Genre: Canon Compliant, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:13:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28418178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeonheon/pseuds/yeonheon
Summary: While the group is abroad for activities, Dongheon and Yeonho sneak away to have some fun.
Relationships: Ju Yeonho/Lee Dongheon
Comments: 8
Kudos: 17





	danger and safety

As Dongheon and Yeonho slip through the blacked-out front doors of the club and fall under the cover of total darkness and pulsing neon lights, the first thing that Yeonho realizes is just how incredibly loud it is in here. 

Of course, this should be obvious. It’s a club, after all, and they had heard the music coming from this place even when they had been a block away, but it had all been a muffled booming, a vibration felt in their feet, and it’s only now that they’re really enveloped in it, as they step inside and the bouncer closes the door behind them, that Yeonho finds himself in awe, because he’s never been to a place like this before. 

The club is huge, much bigger inside than it had looked from the outside, and it’s packed with people everywhere, at the bar, on the enormous dance floor, at every little side area and nest of tables and couches, and Yeonho has seen places like this in movies and on television, but actually being here is completely different. 

There’s a special kind of electricity to it, in the booming base shaking the walls and the floor, in the melody of the carefree EDM song that tickles their skin, in the pounding beat that’s accentuated by the lights flashing in rainbows of colors in time to the music. Even the air itself is different in here, not just the scent that’s like a strange mix of smoke and candy, but the sense of dreamy, detached magic that’s laced with something dark and thrilling. 

It’s wild, chaotic, and more than a little intimidating, but with Dongheon leading Yeonho by the soft but secure grasp on his hand, Yeonho’s not feeling too nervous, or rather, he feels nervous, but in a good way. It’s exciting, and he’s enjoying the adrenaline rush of being a little out of his comfort zone. 

This had all been Dongheon’s idea, of course. The group is abroad for a few days of schedules, and the two of them had been itching to go out and have some fun in their free time, so while the other members had been happy enough to spend the evening in peace and quiet at the hotel, Dongheon and Yeonho had snuck off together, asking Gyehyeon to cover for them with their manager when their absence was inevitably noticed, and they had set off not even sure what they were planning to do, only knowing that they were looking for a little bit of adventure, a little bit of danger. 

They’re both looking really cool tonight, and again, it’s all thanks to Dongheon and his ridiculously stylish closet. Dongheon had lent Yeonho a leather jacket and a pair of slightly-too-tight pants that have Yeonho feeling a little shy with how they accentuate his thighs and ass, and Dongheon had picked out some simple accessories for him too, Yeonho not usually one to wear much besides earrings. 

Dongheon had also helped Yeonho with his hair and makeup, something that Yeonho honestly had no clue at all how to manage without a stylist, but Dongheon knew well enough, and he had styled up Yeonho’s hair and had done something artsy with Yeonho’s eyes, something with smoky eyeshadow and lots of eyeliner to make them pop because Yeonho’s eyes were one of his best features, Dongheon had told him so while he was lining them with silky black, much to Yeonho’s sudden shyness that had brought a splash of pink to his cheeks. 

For himself, Dongheon had picked out a simple sleeveless black shirt and tight, dark jeans, his muscular biceps on full display with strings of chains hanging off of his hips and several rings on each hand, the neckline on his shirt low enough to show off the top of his sculpted chest, and Dongheon looks so handsome, so mature and cool and so different from the hyperactive, childish hyung that Yeonho knows from their everyday life. With his hair and makeup styled like he’s going on stage and his eyes dark and sexy, Dongheon looks like a god, his golden skin glowing even in the low light and Yeonho unable to take his eyes off of him. 

And heck, Dongheon even smells amazing; he had cloaked himself in something subtle but rich and masculine that has Yeonho already feeling a little drunk as he stays close to him and breathes it in. It’s times like this when Yeonho clings to Dongheon for a change, and when he really feels their age difference, Yeonho allowing Dongheon to lead him and Yeonho following without question. 

Sure, it’s a little risky, sneaking out to a club without any staff, but it’s not like anyone that would recognize them will be here, and it’s not like they’re going to do anything too crazy. They’re really just here to have a few drinks, to hang out, and to enjoy the music, and they probably won’t have that much time anyway before their manager finds out and calls them to get their asses back to the hotel just a few blocks away. 

They both pause for a moment to take everything in, to soak up the atmosphere, before Dongheon turns to Yeonho, suddenly yelling out over the loud music, “Drinks!” and dragging him away, and Yeonho can’t help but to laugh as Dongheon leads them across the room and over the smooth floor to the bar packed with people who don’t even give them a second glance as they squeeze their way through together, Dongheon waving over one of the bartenders while still clutching tight to Yeonho’s hand. 

And Yeonho’s mind wanders momentarily as Dongheon talks to the bartender, Yeonho looking around at all of the people around them. He doesn’t think that he could ever be in a place like this by himself, and even if it’s a bit annoying, the way that Dongheon keeps squeezing his hand tight and cutting off his blood circulation, Yeonho is thankful that Dongheon is here with him. Really, he’s always thankful for Dongheon by his side, but especially now. 

Dongheon finally lets go of Yeonho’s hand and Yeonho turns back to him just in time to see him accepting two drinks from the bartender in short glass tumblers, and Yeonho laughs again as Dongheon hands one to him, a glass filled about halfway with alcohol of such a bright pink that it almost hurts Yeonho’s eyes to look at it, Dongheon and Yeonho squeezing onto the bar stools to sit for a few minutes while they get accustomed to the climate in here. 

“Are you sure this isn’t radioactive?” Yeonho yells over the music, grinning as he accepts the glass and takes a whiff. It smells sticky-sweet, but there’s also the undeniable sting of alcohol which, judging by the strength of its scent, this drink is full of. 

Dongheon doesn’t answer, and he pauses for a beat, lets out a little sigh as if bracing himself, and then throws his head back, downing the entire drink in one swallow, then grimacing with his eyes squeezed shut as it hits him, his whole body visibly shuddering from the burn as Yeonho laughs, Dongheon opening one eye and then the other, his grimace turning into a smile as he starts laughing too. 

And with that, Yeonho clinks his glass against Dongheon’s empty one, then follows his lead and swallows it down, and the burn is even stronger than he had expected, especially because he’s not experienced at all with drinking. This is much stronger than anything he’s ever had, and it’s like it’s coating his throat in burning-hot liquid candy as it scorches its way down, and Yeonho coughs, the sting of alcohol bringing tears to the corners of his eyes, but he’s laughing through it too, the drink leaving a warm, pleasant tingling in its wake, and Yeonho feels something like a sugar rush coming on as he and Dongheon make eye contact and laugh softly at each other. 

The alcohol starts working on Yeonho fast; he can already feel it swimming through his veins and sparking at his fingertips and on his lips, can already feel it coloring his cheeks a bright pink to match, and Dongheon, too, quickly seems to loosen up, Yeonho’s often tense, anxious hyung soon melting down to a dopey grin and achingly adorable eye-smile within just a few minutes, the two of them clutching their empty glasses as they chat for a while about nothing and look out at the chaos around them, waiting for the alcohol to kick in enough for them to be able to join in. 

And they can barely hear each other, but it’s all just pretense anyway. They had spent the entire day together, so it’s not like there’s anything new to share with each other, more that they’re both just getting comfortable, because even for Dongheon who’s so much older, this is an unfamiliar kind of thing for him too, and they both understand this, and it’s obvious by the way that Dongheon keeps touching Yeonho’s thigh that he’s nervous and looking for some comfort despite the confidence with which he led them in here, and really, this is one of the craziest things that they’ve ever done, if not the craziest. 

Still, it’s getting easier and easier, the conversation effortless between them as always, and even when they talk about nothing, they always have so much to say, and soon, they’re laughing and joking around just like they would anywhere else, like they would at a restaurant or back at home or in the waiting room for a broadcast. It’s easy to fall into the same rhythm they always share no matter where they are and no matter what they’re doing, and despite being in such an unfamiliar place and situation, it all feels very familiar indeed. 

Some time passes, and Dongheon flags down the bartender once again to order another round of the radioactive pink drinks, and this time, Yeonho’s drink goes down much, much smoother, Yeonho swallowing slowly and really feeling it as it burns its way through him, as Dongheon’s dark eyes stare way too intensely at him with that cute, stupid look on his face of someone who is totally wasted and not realizing that they’re staring. 

And as Dongheon just keeps staring at him, Yeonho can’t help but to laugh mid-swallow, half-sputtering some of his drink and that just makes him laugh even harder, and soon Dongheon starts laughing too, both of them laughing together louder and more intensely until they’re doubling over, clutching at each other’s clothes so they don’t fall off of the bar stools as they howl with laughter. 

A few more minutes go by as they calm down, their laughter fading to soft, breathy chuckles as they wipe buds of mirthful tears from the corners of their eyes, and eventually, a comfortable silence falls between them, well, as silent as it can be given where they are. Their eyes meet again, shining with excitement, and they return the empty glasses to the bartender, Dongheon immediately reaching for Yeonho’s hand again, squeezing hard and dragging him out to the dance floor underneath the bright, beating lights. 

The dance floor is so crowded that they can barely make it through the throngs of people, but Dongheon manages to find them some space somewhere in the middle of it all, and before Yeonho can say a word, Dongheon releases his hand and separates from him, then starts dancing to the music in a wild, over-exaggerated fashion without a care in the world, Yeonho’s heart warming as he laughs loudly because Dongheon looks silly and dumb and much too cute, and Yeonho’s face starts to ache from how hard he’s smiling. 

And then, Dongheon is reaching for Yeonho’s hand again, pulling Yeonho towards him to join in, both of them acting like complete and total idiots, and it’s embarrassing but it’s also so much fun, it feels so good to just let loose, and they really needed this, because with all of the stress and the exhaustion of constantly being in front of the camera and under the spotlight, it’s liberating to just _not give a fuck_ for a while, to just lose themselves and their idol personas and to become regular people for once, to be regular young adults acting stupid without fear or regret. 

They soon start dancing more normally but with no less silliness, and that’s when they start to have a really, really good time, enjoying themselves for a long while as they fall deeper and deeper into this magical little world that they’ve created for themselves, for at least five or six songs that all blend together, and they get wilder and crazier, and soon, they both start laughing so hard that they can’t even dance anymore, they’re just grabbing onto each other as they try not to fall over from laughing, Dongheon grabbing for Yeonho’s shoulders and clinging on tight as his knees shake, both of them literally tipsy, laughing so hard that they can barely breathe and tears wet their cheeks and it only makes it all so much funnier. 

The current song ends and a few seconds pass where it’s just the noise of the crowd around them and nothing else, like the whole building is taking a breath before starting all over again, and Dongheon and Yeonho keep clinging to each other, wheezing as their laughter calms down, Dongheon still gripping tight to Yeonho’s shoulders, and Yeonho’s got a hand tight on Dongheon’s waist, just as the natural place for it to rest when they’re like this, Yeonho’s mind spinning with a pleasant dizziness, giddy and floaty and powdery-soft. 

The music starts up again with a few low, steady beats, so deep that Yeonho feels them more than he hears them, the song changing to something a bit more sensual, a bit darker and sexier, and the lights go down low from bright, vibrant neon to dark and smoky blue and gray as the beat begins to pick up. 

And they’re both _still_ clinging to each other as they calm down for a few more moments, their heart rates and breathing steadily returning to normal, the room steadying itself from the high that they’re returning to the ground from, but then, something sparks between them in the air and Dongheon is suddenly staring at Yeonho with this strange, heated look in his eyes that Yeonho has never seen before, a look that has Yeonho’s heart starting to pound hard all over again and has his skin rising in goosebumps despite the way that the room suddenly feels a little hotter, and when Dongheon and Yeonho lock eyes, Yeonho can’t look away, pulled in and held frozen by his hyung’s gaze. 

Dongheon starts to move in closer to Yeonho, Dongheon draping his arms loosely over Yeonho’s shoulders and gazing at him flirtatiously with half-lidded eyes and parted lips, his cheeks flushed as he moves in fluidly, effortlessly like a whirlwind until they’re so close that their bodies touch and suddenly there’s hardly any space between them at all. 

And at any other time, Yeonho would’ve had a very different kind of reaction to all of this. Normally, he’d be mildly flustered and a bit annoyed, but affectionately so, because it’s not like this is the first time that Dongheon has come onto him. Really, Dongheon flirts with Yeonho often, and Yeonho’s reaction is always to laugh it off and playfully push him away, because that’s what it always was, just _playing_. Yeonho had always thought that Dongheon just enjoyed teasing, enjoyed getting a rise out of him, and yeah, Yeonho would sometimes flirt back, because he too enjoyed seeing Dongheon flustered and panicked by the unexpected reciprocation, but there had always been this unspoken agreement between them that it was never _real_ , it was all just for fun. 

It had never felt serious. It had never felt like _this_. 

But both of them are starting to feel the full effects of whatever that crazy pink stuff was, that much is obvious, and it’s bringing down all of those walls, all of those excuses and denials, all of those attempts to explain away the undeniable chemistry between them, every manufactured obstacle crashing down into dust. The truth is, they’ve always been more than just friends, even if they were never quite able to admit it to themselves or to each other. 

And now, it’s amplifying everything, and at the same time, blurring the world around the edges, making everything dreamy and loose but also thick and slow. The air even tastes and smells sweeter, and Yeonho’s body feels like it’s charged with energy, and Yeonho had thought that it was this place, or just the alcohol itself, but he’s starting to realize that it’s actually Dongheon, that it’s been Dongheon the entire time that they’ve been here, and that it’s always been Dongheon. 

Dongheon sways around and keeps moving in even closer to Yeonho, and it all grows more intense, and perhaps it’s just Yeonho’s intoxicated mind starting to play tricks on him, to focus everything around them down to his hyung, his gorgeous, sexy hyung, who’s starting to move his hips, to rub up against Yeonho sensually in time with the music, Dongheon’s dark, cat-like eyes sparkling as they catch and reflect every little bit of light in the darkness. 

And it’s like they’re caught in a trance together, the room seeming to fade all around them into nothingness even as the music gets louder, and they move completely by instinct, not thinking at all, certainly no longer acting with any caution or restraint, and there’s no way to explain it other than that it just feels right. More than that, it feels inevitable, irresistible, like they can’t break away from each other even if they wanted to. 

They’re both totally gone now, wasted well past the point of danger, and this is such a bad idea, it’s a terrible, stupid idea, but they can’t bring themselves to care, all of their inhibitions dissolved away and what was always lurking there deep down inside pulled right up to the surface, and they just keep going with it, Yeonho’s hands dropping down to hold Dongheon’s hips, both of them unable to stop as they hold eye contact, confirming in unspoken words that they’re both feeling the same thing right now, the same undeniable _pull_ between them that’s always been there since day one. 

It’s a strange feeling, and it’s so much more than just fooling around, so much more than just getting a little wild and pushing the boundaries of platonic friendship just for the thrill of it, but never quite crossing over, at least, not beyond the edges of physical, because even if they were to start making out right now on the dance floor, they still would have all manner of excuses. They’re drunk, they’re both young and attractive with a stressful, exhausting job that calls for physical relief every now and then, and who better to seek that out with than your best friend? Who better to turn to for comfort than someone who’s seen you at every high and every low, who would understand everything that you’re going through and who could help you without it having to mean something else? 

But the thing of it is, it does feel like something else. This doesn’t feel like something that they can brush away so easily as a crazy night of partying, it doesn’t feel like something platonic and meaningless, and it doesn’t feel like something emerging only because of stress or exhaustion or wanting to rebel against the limitations of idol life. This feels like something that would’ve always happened, regardless of how the two them met, regardless of where they ended up, regardless of anything else. 

They’ve been right here so many times before, countless times. There’s nothing out of the ordinary about this other than that for the first time, it feels like they might actually do it, they might actually face it, that special, crazy thing that’s going on between them. 

And yeah, they’re _drunk_ , but they’re not drunk enough to not understand what’s happening, only drunk enough to not feel afraid, to no longer hesitate the way that they’ve hesitated for so long, the two of them now drawn in like magnets until they’re much too close and their eyes flutter closed and their noses brush each other, their lips hovering just centimeters apart, so close that Yeonho can feel the heat of Dongheon’s mouth like they’re already kissing. 

And it’s then, at that exact moment, that Yeonho’s jacket pocket starts to vibrate, his phone ringing, and the two of them wrench apart as Yeonho, blushing furiously, looks down and fumbles to pull out his cell phone and swipe it open, and sure enough, it’s their manager calling for them to get their asses back to the hotel immediately, and they won’t be able to ignore the call for long. 

Yeonho just stares down at the cold, white screen, blindingly bright in the darkness, for a long time, his lips parted as he breathes heavily and frowns, the club music still booming loudly and the lights still pulsing and everyone else continuing on with their partying like nothing had happened, but for Dongheon and Yeonho, it’s like they’ve been doused in ice-water, harshly yanked out of the beautiful little dream that they had fallen into together that’s dissolving away too fast to hold on to. 

The alcohol that had been enhancing the magic of being here together is fast becoming unpleasant, Yeonho suddenly feeling nauseous and hazy like he needs to lie down and close his eyes, and he can’t bring himself to look at Dongheon as he tucks away his phone into his pocket, unable to answer the manager’s call just yet, Yeonho sighing deeply as everything catches up to him and all he can taste now is the bitter sting of disappointment. 

A few more tense seconds pass before Yeonho finally works up the courage to look at Dongheon, and Dongheon must feel Yeonho’s eyes on him because they make eye contact for a split second before they nervously look away again. 

“I think I need to sit down for a few minutes,” Dongheon says, speaking more to the empty space around them than to Yeonho himself, and Yeonho nods in agreement, following Dongheon in silence as he leads them away and off of the dance floor, this time with a safe distance between them. 

They make their way to one of the back areas of the club, passing through all of the chaos until they’re far and hidden from the noise and the crowds of the dance floor and the bar, everything falling into a hush at the rest area where the lights are low and rosy-red, and there are luxurious lounge chairs and couches in dark velvet and a rich, fruity scent lingers in the air. This is a spot for people to step away from it all for a while, to take a rest, to sit down and regain their sense of reality from the strange and hectic world only a short distance away, from here only felt in glimmers of light and the vibrations of the music that are muffled and distant. 

It’s also clearly intended to be a spot for some privacy, the perfect spot for couples to make out if nobody else is around, a fact which is not lost on Yeonho and has his blood running hot as they approach and Dongheon leaves him alone for a moment to go to the restroom, Yeonho acknowledging with a quick nod as he sits down on one of the couches, and he’s still feeling quite tense all over despite the alcohol still coursing through his veins, his head feeling like it’s going a mile a minute, trying to string together thoughts but struggling thanks to his inebriated state, everything just kind of repeating and stumbling and falling over itself. 

Their manager will call them back any minute now, and eventually other staff may even be sent to retrieve them and to drag them back to the hotel if they don’t come back on their own soon, and either way they’ll get the scolding of a lifetime, but none of that really matters, it’s certainly not what has Yeonho feeling anxious as he sits there all alone waiting for Dongheon to return. 

Instead, Yeonho worries about what almost just happened between them, and if it’s going to make things weird once they sober up. Yeonho doesn’t even know how he really feels about it himself. It’s one thing to play around with the idea of kissing your hyung and your bandmate who also happens to be the sexiest person you’ve ever met. It’s one thing to have the most innocent, most casual of crushes dancing at the back of your mind that you know will never go anywhere and never become anything more. 

It had always been easy to chalk it up to hormones, and the fact that, yes, Dongheon is beautiful and of course Yeonho loves him. Dongheon is his best friend, and with those feelings combined with Yeonho’s attraction to beautiful guys like him, it would only make sense that he might get a bit confused about all of it. Before this, Yeonho had even allowed himself to imagine steamy scenarios playing out when he was alone at night and had the privacy of his own mind, though he’d never actually done anything about it, not really, just thought about it for the briefest of moments before quickly shooing it away. 

But there really is a big difference between thinking about such things and actually coming close to make them a reality. Yeonho had always thought it wouldn’t change anything if they were to fool around a bit, why would it? Friends fooled around with each other, heck, they were idols, they did fanservice and skinship all the time and it never meant anything or felt like anything else. And yeah, that was always in front of a camera, and this was private, but still, it shouldn’t have been any different. 

And sexual attraction was a simple thing; Yeonho could accept it that it was something they weren’t really in control of and that didn’t necessarily mean anything more. But Yeonho is only now realizing that his attraction to Dongheon, his feelings for Dongheon, might be much more serious than that, might have been what they actually came within a hair’s breadth of acting on just moments ago. And if so, what then? What would have happened next? 

Yeonho’s heart races at the thought as dozens of different outcomes flash through his mind all at once, of what might have happened had they actually done what they had both wanted with their entire being to do. Yeonho knows his thoughts are a mess right now, that he’s thinking and feeling too many things at once and he can’t keep any of it straight, but truth be told, Yeonho isn’t sure if he’s feeling so anxious, so twisted up inside because they had almost crossed a line, or because they hadn’t. 

And Yeonho is still lost in thought when Dongheon returns, Yeonho looking up at him but Dongheon doesn’t make eye contact, and Yeonho can see that Dongheon must have splashed some water on his face in the bathroom, because his eyelashes are wet, the waterproof eye makeup slightly smudged, and the edges of his hairline are still damp, little droplets of water still beaded at his temples. 

Dongheon hesitates for a moment before sitting down a bit awkwardly on the couch beside Yeonho, neither of them facing each other. 

Yeonho’s phone starts vibrating again, and they know from experience that they’ll only be given one more chance to pick up after this, and if nothing else was an indicator that they’re still drunk as fuck, it’s the way that they both know just how much they’re pushing their luck and yet they continue to ignore it. 

As the phone stops buzzing, Yeonho feels the tension in the air between them like something physical, and he sighs, sitting back a little. “Are you feeling alright?” he asks Dongheon quietly. 

“Just drunk,” Dongheon replies with a little laugh under his breath. He then pauses for several long beats before he continues. “I hate that we have to leave. I feel like we were just starting to have some fun.” 

And that there has Yeonho’s face starting to heat up again, because he instantly recognizes it for what it is, Dongheon testing the waters, but Yeonho doesn’t know how to respond. 

At Yeonho’s silence, Dongheon lets out a long, deep sigh, and he hesitates again before he does something that sober Dongheon would’ve done without a second thought, something that, under normal circumstances, would have felt familiar and comfortable, but right now, feels bold, courageous. 

Dongheon scoots closer to Yeonho on the couch until they’re sitting right up against each other side-by-side, their shoulders and thighs touching, and he takes Yeonho’s hand between both of his, plays with Yeonho’s fingers for a long time as ages of silence pass and they’re still not looking at each other, Dongheon looking down at the floor, and Yeonho looking off somewhere else in the room when Dongheon starts speaking again. 

“Yeono-ya,” Dongheon says, casually but with his voice uncharacteristically quiet, “do you like me?” 

Yeonho’s heart skips and he can feel the tips of his ears turning red as Dongheon keeps playing with his fingers, and Yeonho still doesn’t know what to say, parting his lips to speak but nothing comes out. 

“I like _you_ ,” Dongheon goes on, and he starts squeezing gently at Yeonho’s palm. “I really, really like you. I don’t think I can hide it anymore.” 

Dongheon’s voice is quiet and calm, but Yeonho can hear it shaking just around the edges, and Yeonho’s chest burns with something he can’t quite describe. He feels like he can’t breathe. 

“I wanted to kiss you just now, when we were out there dancing,” Dongheon goes on, and of course Yeonho knew this, but hearing it out loud is something that he never could’ve prepared for. “Not just that, I didn’t just want it. I would’ve actually done it. I would’ve kissed you.” 

Dongheon sighs again and takes another long pause, finally letting go of Yeonho’s hand and moving to grip the edges of the couch on both sides of him. Yeonho is still looking away, but he can sense the pressure pushing behind Dongheon’s eyes and the lump in his throat, maybe because it’s happening to him too. 

“If you hate me now, I understand, and I’m sorry,” Dongheon says, voice going so quiet that Yeonho can barely hear him. “But I just wanted you to know.” 

Silence falls between them once again, and the music of the club faded in the background keeps going, the sounds of cheering and singing and partying making each second feel stretched out into a thousand years, and Yeonho finally finds the courage to turn slightly on the couch so that he’s facing Dongheon, but he still looks down at the floor, and he still can’t think of what to say, still can’t find the words, and at Yeonho’s lack of response, Dongheon turns suddenly to face him and looks right at him, panic in his voice. 

“If you want, we can pretend none of this happened,” Dongheon says quickly, and he clutches onto Yeonho’s sleeve. “I’ll fix this, whatever you want me to do, I’ll fix it, please, Yeono-ya.” 

And Yeonho wants to tell him that it’s alright, that there’s nothing to fix, that he just needs a minute to think about this, he just needs a minute to process it all and to figure out what he feels and what he wants, but before Yeonho can say any of that or anything at all, his phone is ringing again, and he snaps out of his daze and answers, responding on autopilot to their manager yelling into his ear and assuring that the two of them are on their way back to the hotel right now. 

Yeonho hangs up, and Dongheon is still clutching tight onto Yeonho’s sleeve, and Yeonho can feel Dongheon’s eyes on him, darting around erratically over Yeonho’s face, and Dongheon only releases his grip as Yeonho starts to stand up, Yeonho bracing himself to finally look at his hyung, Yeonho’s mouth going dry when they finally make eye contact and stare at each other, Dongheon’s eyes wide, Yeonho feeling like he’s barely holding it together himself. 

And still, Yeonho can’t find the words, nothing seems right, his heart pounding so hard that he feels like it could burst, and despite the voice screaming at him inside his head to do literally anything else, Yeonho finds himself doing what’s probably the worst thing possible. 

“We have to go back to the hotel now,” Yeonho says. “If we’re not back in ten minutes they’re going to send staff to come get us.” 

And the look in Dongheon’s eyes is heartbreaking; it has Yeonho feeling shattered, his chest tight as Dongheon sits there on the couch frozen like a scared little kid for several seconds too long. 

It’s then that Yeonho finally seems to pull his thoughts together with clarity and conviction, everything suddenly clicking into place at once for just a single moment, and he’s finally about to speak just as Dongheon gives a quick little nod, standing up fast and pushing past Yeonho to lead the way out, Yeonho hesitating before following close behind, his words dying in his throat. 

They don’t talk at all as they make their way back out through the club, across the dance floor and past the bar and out the exit, out into the chilly night air as they let the doors to the club slam shut behind them. It’s eerily quiet outside at this time of night, especially with where they came from, the only sounds the background noise of the city, cars driving by on distant streets, the echoes of loud music from the club, and their footsteps on the sidewalk. 

And they’re still completely silent during the few minutes that it takes to walk back to the hotel, the two of them walking next to each other but with distance between them again, and Yeonho’s mind is racing as his feet move entirely on their own, Yeonho completely lost in thought until suddenly they’re at the back entrance of the hotel under the glow of a streetlight, slowing to a stop, Dongheon turning to face him because Yeonho is the one who has the keycard in his jacket pocket. 

Dongheon is not looking at him, he’s looking at the ground off in some direction to Yeonho’s side, but Yeonho, as he slips his hand into his jacket, doesn't take his eyes off of Dongheon. Dongheon’s arms are crossed as he huddles in on himself, gripping onto his own bare biceps and shivering. He’s clearly freezing with that ridiculous sleeveless shirt of his, and Yeonho looks at Dongheon’s face, at the flush to his cheeks and how his eyes are wet and unfocused, his expression steeled, but Yeonho can see the tremble at the corner of Dongheon’s mouth, and the twitch of his nose, and the slight furrow to his eyebrows. Dongheon blinks, and Yeonho can see the quick, shallow breath that he takes before he lets out a long, deep sigh. 

Yeonho pauses, his hand going still in his jacket, and he drops the keycard and removes his hand, then takes a step towards Dongheon, Dongheon looking up from the ground in response to meet Yeonho’s eyes, and when Yeonho takes another step in, Dongheon lowers his arms, the two of them holding eye contact, Yeonho stepping in even closer as he lifts a hand to cradle Dongheon’s face, both of their gazes going half-lidded. 

And Yeonho moves without thinking, his mind filled only with something like soft, gentle light as he rubs his thumb tenderly over Dongheon’s cheek, Yeonho’s body flooding with warmth as he closes his eyes and tilts his face and slowly leans in to kiss him. 

Dongheon’s mouth is soft and warm, and for a moment, they melt together, and when Yeonho pulls back, his hand still on Dongheon’s face, he opens his eyes to see Dongheon’s lips parted and his eyes shining. 

“Can we talk about it tomorrow?” Yeonho asks quietly, his mouth quirking up in a smile at the corners. His lips are tingling, and he’s still got Dongheon’s taste at the tip of his tongue like sprinkles of sugar, and he feels like he’s got little sparks of electricity flickering through every cell in his body. 

Dongheon looks at him with bright, shaking eyes, smiling a cute little smile as he breathes out a soft, “Yeah.” 

Dongheon’s gaze then slips down to the ground again as Yeonho finally lowers his hand and turns to the door, taking the keycard from his jacket pocket and swiping them in, Dongheon’s smile growing a little bigger as they step through together, their hands brushing as the door closes behind them. It's getting really late, and they’ll only have a few hours to sleep before they have to wake up to prepare for the next day’s schedule. 

But it’s alright, and as they separate at the hallway after riding the elevator up together, parting to go off to their rooms for the night with a final look into each other’s eyes that dissolves into them both smiling shyly and looking away at the same time, Yeonho just keeps smiling, because he feels like he swallowed the light of the stars outside, and he doesn’t think that he’ll be able to sleep anyway.

**Author's Note:**

> if you enjoyed this fic, please leave a kudos or comment ❤️
> 
> also check out my [yeonheon twitter](https://twitter.com/yeonheonlove), my [personal twitter](https://twitter.com/yeonheonlife), and my [youtube channel](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyNcIoyYpPO5KVjZgnvZsOg) ❤️


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